Would you try this terrifying 18ft Leap of Faith? Watch this video above to see if you'd be brave enough to give it a try!

Daring Brummies attempted these climbs today as part of a sneak preview of Rock Up Birmingham ahead of its official launch.

The new centre, complete with 26 rock climbing challenges, opened on Friday, September 9 in Broadway Plaza, Ladywood Middleway, which is also home to an Odeon multiplex, Bowlplex and Nuffield Health Club

It’s a totally new climbing concept for Birmingham.

So, what’s the new centre like?

It’s compact but full of 26 different climbs, each one offering three levels of challenges, which makes it ideal for families and friends of differing ages and abilities - and it's this that makes it unique.

What’s striking is how bright and airy it is, thanks to the floor to ceiling windows looking out onto the Broadway Plaza courtyard in Ladywood Middleway.

This makes the cafe and viewing areas very pleasant for spectators too.

It’s all very bright and colourful and fun, making it much more interesting than simply climbing a wall.

Stairway to Heaven at Rock Up

The climbing walls are suitable for everyone aged four and above. The soft play area is quite small but is a useful addition for little ones who are too young to climb.

Another good aspect is that it's easy to get to as you can park at Broadway Plaza car park or catch the train to Five Ways Station and walk across.

Cheryl Holt had caught the train over from Solihull to bring her family. Gabriel, 13, was climbing for his birthday with his brother Louis, 14, whilst their little sister Ariana, two, enjoyed the soft play area.

"Gabriel loves to climb," she explained. "He's done the high ropes at Butlins and Go Ape.

"This is great because it's so colourful and creative which makes it so much fun than just a way.

"He'd been looking for something like this to do. He'd done all the other challenges in Birmingham, like the one at Star City and was looking for something more adventurous.

"I like the fact it's so bright and airy, not like other climbing and soft play centres where you can sometimes feel like you're in a cave."

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What are the climbs like?

Each has a different theme and there are 26 to try. Here are some of the best ones:

Spaghetti Junction - This features spaghetti-style ropes to grab hold of to climb the wall.

Gary Tomlinson on Spaghetti Junction, with the Triffid in the background

Triffid - This is like a giant beanstalk but is actually a lot harder than it looks.

"This one is hard, especially when you think you're going to fall," said Gary Tomlinson, who lives in the city centre.

"I think the experience is really good. It's high enough to make you feel like you're going to fall but safe because of the ropes.

"I've done a bit of abseiling before but this is something different."

Speed Climb – climbers scramble up next to each other in a race to press the button at the top or to beat their previous time.

"You don't realise how much effort goes into it," said Kerry Henry, from Hall Green.

"It's a good workout. I managed to take two seconds off my first time."

Skyscraper, Cloud 9, Orbital, Aliens, Speed climb and Dry Ice (L -R)

Stairway to Heaven - These pedestals get increasingly wobbly the higher you get, making it really tough to reach the top one ... unless you're a teenager that is.

"I thought it was easy but I couldn't get to top one," said Gabriel Elliman, 13 and from Solihull.

"I'm going back to try it again."

Stairway to Heaven

Aliens - These multi-coloured square tiles make for a different grab experience as you climb to the top.

"It's very amusing," said Joshua Jarvis, from Ladywood.

"I didn't realise it was Space Invaders until I got to the top.

"I used to love rock climbing when I was younger but it's not something I've done for a long time.

"I'm going to bring my nephews here so they can try it out."

Face 2 Face Race – A perspex climb enabling people to see their opponent as they race opposite each other - and see who's going up the fastest!

Twister – a stepped climb that twists round like a spiral staircase.

One side is easy as you climb up the steps, the other is hard as you try to climb under the steps!

Gabriel Elliman on the Twister

Checkerplate - A checkerplate climb where you have to grab hold of lights.

"This one looks pretty but it's hard than you think," said manager Adam Thompson.

"You hold onto the underneath of the light but it warms your hand and makes it sweat so it slips when you try to grab hold of the next plastic grip."

Checkerplate climb at Rock Up

Lightning Strike - It seems like a simple climb around a lightning strike cut out of the wall until you get to level three and realise you have to climb up the slippery lightning strike itself without using the grip holds.

"This was my favourite one," said Helimda Tammas, from Selly Oak.

"At first, I was afraid to jump down but once I'd done it, I realised it was a good feeling."

Skyscraper – A wall that looks like a pretty skyscraper full of brightly lit windows.

"There's a secret to this one," said manager Adam Thompson.

"If I see a man showing off, I'll watch him get halfway then fall back down but kids grasp what they have to do straight away. It's all in the way you grip onto the windows."

Dry Ice – Imagine yourself on Mont Blanc in this climb that’s done with an ice-pick.

Check out the video of what to expect at Rock Up Birmingham:

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What happens on the Leap of Faith?

Climbers are put into a harness and then clipped to a true blue line with a carabiner before making the 18ft ladder climb. Once at the top, there’s a punchbag they have to jump to – and they have to decide how far away they want to make it.

Then, on the count of three they jump and grab the bag with all their might before allowing themselves to fall to the ground, eased by the blue line to soften their fall.

Vishaujeet, 22 and from Harborne, had never climbed before but he loved the Leap of Faith.

“It was really fun,” said the University of Birmingham student.

“I wasn’t scared at all when I got to the top, you couldn’t be here if you were scared.

“It’s the first time I’ve climbed and it’s much better than I thought it was going to be, it’s amazing.

“I can feel the work I’ve done in my muscles so it’s a good workout too.”

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Will there be clubs and weekly activities?

Yes. In October a weekly Rock Stars climbing club will start, aimed at four to 10 year olds.

There will be a Friday climbing club for young teens, Climb Fit classes for adults and adult-only sessions on Thursdays.

There will be Toddler Tracks sessions on Tuesday and Thursday mornings featuring lights and paths around the climbs for them to explore on trikes, together with colouring sessions on Mondays, cake decorating workshops on Wednesdays and face painting on Fridays for little ones.